Encouragement
by KimiNinja03
Summary: When Raph says something that hurts Donnie's feelings he runs off and only Mikey knows where to find him.


**Hey you guys! While I'm cooking up my next chapter for Reincarnation I wanted to do this one-shot fluff for Mikey and Donnie, my favorite turtles! :D**

 **Thanks to any that decide to favorite, follow, and/or review this one-shot!**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Six-year-old Michelangelo was used to not hearing from Donnie for hours at a time, so when Donnie never came out to play with him or his other brothers, Mikey was not surprised. And neither was Leonardo, the eldest of the brothers, so Mikey was definitely not worried.

Mikey also ignored Raphael's foul mood, though he had no idea why his strong brother was so annoyed in the first place. He actually did not do any pranks against him today! The only thing he saw Raph doing today after he'd came out of his room was pout and play with his recently rescued pet turtle, Spike.

He didn't dare approach Raph and try to figure out what was wrong with him…no, not yet anyways. As much as he hated for any of his brothers to be angry or sad he knew from bad experiences when and when not to approach Raph about himself.

But when Master Splinter entered the pit area and announced dinner, Mikey's thoughts were immediately distracted elsewhere….

….until a close to frantic but obviously trying to keep calm Master Splinter entered the kitchen asking for their brainy brother, Donatello.

"Have you seen him boys?" Their Father had asked them. Mikey shook his head because he had a fork in his mouth and their Daddy hated when they talked with their mouth full. Raph shook his head, still pouting in that angry way as he forked through his food.

"No, Dad, I haven't seen him all day. I thought he was in his lab," Leo replied honestly as he looked at his remaining brothers, "Mikey, you haven't played with him today?"

Mikey swallowed and shook his head a little, "Nuh uh, Leo, cause he gets mad when I go in his lab so I waited for him to come play with me. He didn't."

Master Splinter looked highly disturbed that no one could seemed to find out where Donnie was. But the humanoid rat quickly noticed how Raphael didn't care to be as concerned as his brothers, "Raphael, do you have any idea why Donatello would run off?"

Raph looked up, in that startled way he did when he knew he had something to be in trouble for, but shook his head shyly. Master Splinter narrowed his eyes, obviously not buying his lie, "W-Well…we had a fight Sensei and he ran off…."

"What?!" Leo squeaked in surprise but Raph glared at him. Mikey blinked in shock. Donnie didn't fight much, but when he did he usually won the argument. But never has Donnie been in a fight that caused him to run off. Immediately Mikey began to worry about his immediate big brother.

Master Splinter still looked calm but on the inside he was panicking, "Did he run out of the lair, my son?"

Raph looked down angrily but shamefully, "Y-Yeah, but I swore I thought I heard him in his lab! I didn't know he was still gone!"

"Raph!" Leo scolded and Raph scowled at him, "What did you say to him?"

"He doesn't like us, Leo! He never wants to spend any time with us and all he wants to do is nerd things! I told him that! He doesn't care about us so why should we care about him! He's just a boring nerd!"

"RAPHAEL!" Master Splinter silenced his temperamental son with a look of disapproval, "My son, if you wish to spend time with your brother all you have to do is ask…and do it nicely! You did not have to hurt his feelings like this."

"But…but Sensei I _did_ ask him! He told me 'No, because what I'm doing is more important.' And he always says that! He said so himself, Sensei, that he doesn't care about us and doesn't want to spend time with us!" Raph argued with tears spiking in his eyes.

Mikey and Leo watched with wide eyes as Raph betrayed how he really felt. His feelings had been hurt and of course he took out his anger on the one who hurt his feelings. Master Splinter sighed and rubbed at his face.

"I have no idea where to even look for your brother…" He muttered and Raph looked away angrily. Leo frowned at Raph, feeling disapproved of how he hurt Donnie.

Mikey opened his mouth to reveal that he did know a place Donnie could but then snapped his beak shut. That place was Donnie and Mikey's secret place that they both found together! He didn't want the others to find out where it was. He liked having a secret bond with his brothers.

Master Splinter began to ask Raph questions and tell him about Donnie so Mikey took this opportunity to slip carefully out of his stool. He watched and made sure that Leo's attention was on Raph and Sensei before he crawled silently out of the kitchen.

Smiling to himself at how easy it was to sneak away, Mikey dashed out of the lair before he was caught and immediately took a familiar right. He was a bit scared, because he didn't like to venture far without one of his brothers. But the special place wasn't that far and Donnie was sure to be there!

Mikey patiently thought of something else as he ventured down darker paths in the sewers. He beamed happily when he discovered the familiar crevice in the wall that held their secret hiding place. Mikey and Donnie were both skinny enough to slide through the crevice with no problem at all!

Once Mikey was in he immediately heard the sounds of soft sobbing. His heart broke into a million bazillion pieces when he saw his brother sitting in the middle of the secret place, his mask pushed up on his head as he cried into his hands. Never has Mikey seen Donnie so upset.

"D-Donnie?" Mikey called quietly. Donnie stopped crying after he heard his little brother call his name. The tears still fell down his face and he curled up into a ball when his brother wrapped his arms around him and put his head on his shell, "I'm sorry Raphie said mean things to you, Donnie."

"I don't understand w-why he was mad," Donnie grumbled and he sniffed snot back into his nose, "He told me that I was horrible and that I didn't really care about you guys. He also said that I'm a stupid nerd and he didn't want to spend time with me anyway."

"Oh Donnie," Mikey frowned, hugging his brother with all the might he had in his small body, "Raphie's feelings were hurt too because he wanted to play with you and you basically told him that what you were doing was more important than playing with him."

Donnie winced and wiped his cheeks with one arm, "Did it really sound like that? I didn't mean it like that…"

"I know you didn't Donnie…but Raph doesn't. He gets mean when he's hurt…or well...he's mean all the time!" Mikey claimed and Donnie laughed wetly, "And I don't think you're a nerd, D!"

"You don't?" Donnie turned his head to stare at his little brother, knowing that Mikey shifted his eyes when he lied.

"No, I don't! I think you're awesome! You can fix things that even Daddy can't fix! I wanna be able to do that!" Mikey gushed and Donnie felt warmed, blushing a little.

"Thanks Mikey," He smiled wiping away the rest of his tears as he turned his body towards the youngest, "I'm sorry that I'm always fixing and inventing stuff lately."

"No way, bro, that's okay! You always make the coolest things!" Mikey's eyes shined bright as he talked with Donnie, something that made Don smile warmly, "Plus you actually listen to me, unlike Leo or Raph, and make things I tell you might be cool!"

"Well you do come up with some interesting ideas that otherwise would be impossible," Donnie chuckled as he rubbed his brother's head affectionately. Mikey beamed.

"As long as you don't totally forgot about me, bro, then it's all okay!" Mikey chirped and Donnie smiled, feeling much better than he had these past couple of hours, "Now let's go home! Sensei was totally worried about you and Leo's mad at Raph! Raph even looked a bit worried but I only know that because I'm awesome and know things!"

Donnie rolled his eyes but chuckled as he stood and helped Mikey stand up, "Yeah, I'm gonna so get grounded for running away…but I didn't want Raph or Leo to see me cry."

"Aw, it's okay Donnie! I won't tell them anything!" Mikey smiled and Donnie paused, smiling at his brother gratefully, "And don't listen to what Raph says because he always regrets it the next day! I bet he'll be warming up to you tomorrow!"

"I sure hope you're right because it seemed like he hated me," Donnie shivered as he looked down sadly, "I don't hate you guys. I love all of you and Dad too…I just like to build things too."

"We love you too Donnie. You building stuff is amazing and Raph just thought you liked it more than hanging out with us! You gotta work on your talking skills, bro!" Mikey giggled innocently and Donnie shook his head at his brother as they made their way out and then back home.

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They walked through the turnstiles and before got more than five steps in they were being lifted in their Father's arms, "Boys! I am so happy to see you both return! I could not find you anywhere!"

"I found Donnie, Daddy!" Mikey chirped and Donnie hugged their Father back, avoiding Raph's or Leo's eyes.

"Where did you guys go?" Leo asked worriedly as they were set down. Mikey and Donnie looked at each other.

"We went down some new tunnel, that's where I found Donnie," Mikey shrugged though their Father was giving them scolding glares, "Sorry I left Daddy, but I was worried about Donnie and needed to find him!"

Master Splinter looked at his youngest and sighed, "I understand but do not leave without me next time, Michelangelo."

"Hai, Daddy."

"And Donatello," Master Splinter called with narrowed eyes. Donnie gulped and nervously looked up at their Father, "I understand that you were very upset but that does not give you the permission to leave. You worried me to impossible levels, my son."

Donnie looked down sadly and nodded his head, "Hai, Dad. I'm sorry about that…"

"I accept your apology, my son. I was very worried about you. And Raphael?" Master Splinter called with a twinge of authority, making Raph tense and look up at their father, "What do you have to say to Donatello?"

Raph looked ready to mutter under his breath but decided not to as he looked at Donnie, "Sorry I called you a nerd, Donnie. And sorry I made you upset."

Donnie stared at Raph and could tell he was still mad but nodded, "It's okay Raph. I didn't know I hurt your feelings too. I didn't mean what I said it's just that I'm kind of socially awkward."

"Socia-e what?" Raph asked with confusion.

"It means that he does not always say the right thing around others and comes off as very uncomfortable sometimes," Master Splinter explained with a twinge of amusement.

"Ohhhhh…." Raph and Mikey replied in unison. Leo looked at everyone before looking at Donnie.

"So you're okay now?" He asked his brother, genuinely concerned for his feelings. Donnie smiled at Leo, showing the gap in his teeth and nodded his head. Leo smiled back, feeling relieved even though he didn't understand much about what went on.

"Now that I know you are all safe and have apologized, why don't we finish our meditation lesson, Leonardo?" Master Splinter offered and Leo perked, nodding his head as he trotted off after his Father.

"I'm gonna go feed Spike," Raph told them as he rushed towards his room in a hurry. Mikey and Donnie looked at each other before smiling.

"Wanna play with that toy train we made?" Mikey asked and Donnie nodded, "Yay! Let's go!"

* * *

Later that night Donnie made an apology note and slipped it under Raph's door. He went back into his room and worked on a new helicopter toy he had been wanting to make for Raph before he went to bed.

The next day Donnie was surprised when Raph came straight up to him after training and school, offering a more sincere apology and the two managed to drag Mikey and Leo into playing a pretend game of nights with them.

And when lunch was ready they all barely heard their Father's call. When Mikey and Leo went ahead, Raph actually gave him a _hug_ and told him being a nerd wasn't all bad.

Donnie smiled, feeling as though he was just given something special.

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 **Awww a bit of Raph and Donnie fluff as well! I just love it so much and I hope that you did too! I will be looking forward to reading any reviews! Thanks!**

 **Stay awesome guys! :3**


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